End of Year Testing for Homeschool in Delaware

When families move from public school to homeschooling, one of the things many dread most is the annual testing requirement. In plenty of states, homeschoolers must administer a nationally normed standardized test each year, submit results to the school district, or have a certified teacher evaluate their child's portfolio. The anxiety about getting it right — choosing the right test, scheduling it, interpreting scores — is real.

Delaware has none of those requirements.

There is no annual testing requirement for homeschoolers in Delaware. There is no portfolio submission to the district. There is no requirement that a credentialed evaluator sign off on your child's progress. Understanding what Delaware does and does not require — and what families choose to do voluntarily — helps you plan your year without unnecessary stress.

What Delaware Law Requires for Homeschool Assessments

Under 14 Del. Code §2703A, Delaware homeschools are classified as nonpublic schools. Nonpublic school students in Delaware are not required to participate in the state's standardized testing program (the Delaware System of Student Assessments, or DSSA). That testing regime applies to public school students and to students enrolled in public virtual schools. It does not apply to nonpublic school students.

There is no alternate assessment required in its place. Delaware does not require homeschool families to:

• Administer any specific standardized test
• Submit test scores to the district or state
• Have a certified teacher evaluate the child
• Submit a portfolio or academic work samples to any government body
• Demonstrate grade-level achievement on any external measure

The only annual operational requirement is that your nonpublic school operates for at least 180 days. What happens within those 180 days, and how you measure progress, is your decision.

Why Some Delaware Families Test Anyway

No requirement does not mean no reason. Many Delaware homeschool families administer standardized tests voluntarily, and their reasons are worth understanding.

College admissions. High school homeschoolers applying to selective colleges need transcripts and test scores that admissions officers can evaluate. While many colleges have become test-optional, standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) remain valuable for merit scholarship consideration. Administering practice assessments in earlier grades helps students become comfortable with test formats before the stakes are high.

Tracking progress for yourself. Annual testing gives parents a data point that is independent of their own grading. If you have been teaching your child and issuing grades yourself, it can be useful to see how your child performs on a normed assessment — not because the state requires it, but because it helps you calibrate whether your instruction is working.

Scholarship applications. Several Delaware scholarships available to nonpublic school graduates, including the SEED Scholarship Program and the Inspire Scholarship, involve academic merit components. Documenting strong academic performance over time — even without state mandates — positions students better for these awards.

Peace of mind. Some parents, especially those new to homeschooling, feel more confident when they can see their child performing at or above grade level on an external assessment. There is nothing wrong with seeking that reassurance.

Common Tests Families Use Voluntarily

Several nationally normed assessments are commonly used by homeschooling families without any state requirement driving the choice:

Iowa Assessments (ITBS). One of the most widely used standardized tests in homeschool communities. Covers reading, language arts, math, and science. Can be administered at home in many states; some families use a testing service or test center.

CAT (California Achievement Test). Another widely used norm-referenced test available to homeschoolers. Multiple editions available depending on grade level and what you want to assess.

Stanford Achievement Test. Less commonly used by homeschoolers than ITBS or CAT but well-recognized by colleges.

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress). Administered on a computer, adaptive in format. Used by many schools and available through some homeschool co-ops and testing centers. Particularly useful for identifying where a student sits relative to grade-level peers.

SAT and ACT. For high school students. These are the relevant assessments for college admissions and most scholarship programs. Delaware homeschool students can register for and take both exams at standard testing sites.

What to Do Instead of Testing for Annual Progress

If you choose not to administer a standardized test — which is entirely within your rights in Delaware — there are other ways to document and assess progress that serve your child and your own planning.

Student portfolios. Collect work samples throughout the year: writing assignments, math tests you created yourself, science lab notes, artwork, projects. A portfolio built over a school year gives you a concrete record of what your child learned and how their skills developed. Delaware does not require you to submit this to anyone, but having it is valuable if any question ever arises about your program.

Parent-created assessments. Most curriculum programs include unit tests, chapter quizzes, and end-of-year reviews. Using these consistently gives you ongoing feedback on what your child has retained.

Reading level assessments. For younger children especially, tracking reading level progression through Lexile scores or other reading measures gives a clear picture of literacy development without requiring a full standardized test.

Narrative progress reports. Some families write a brief narrative at the end of each school year describing what was studied, what the child mastered, and what areas need continued attention. This is entirely informal but serves as your own documentation.

Comparison: Delaware vs. High-Requirement States

Delaware's approach stands in sharp contrast to states with heavy homeschool oversight. In Pennsylvania, homeschool families must submit a detailed educational objectives statement at the start of the year, maintain a portfolio of student work, and have that portfolio evaluated by a certified teacher at the end of the year. In New York, parents must submit detailed annual reports including learning objectives and an assessment for each child. In Massachusetts, districts have broad authority to set their own evaluation requirements, which can include standardized testing or portfolio review.

Delaware is in a different category entirely. The 180-day operating requirement is the only ongoing annual obligation. This makes Delaware one of the most flexible homeschool environments in the country.

The Foundation That Makes This Flexibility Possible

Delaware's low-regulation environment applies to families who have properly established their homeschool as a nonpublic school under state law. The flexibility — no testing, no curriculum approval, no portfolio review — flows from nonpublic school status, and that status requires completing the dual notification process: EdAccess portal registration at the state level and a formal withdrawal notice to your child's district.

Families who skip or incompletely handle that registration are not operating as recognized nonpublic schools. They are operating in a gray area that can attract district scrutiny, truancy notices, and complications that Delaware's properly registered homeschoolers never face.

The Delaware Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers the complete dual-notification process in detail — how to register on EdAccess, how to write your district withdrawal notice, what documentation to keep, and how to respond if the district contacts you. Getting the registration right is what makes Delaware's genuinely permissive environment available to your family.

See more United States homeschool guides →